Last August’s MORI/T1IC poll suggested that 60% of 18 to 24 year-olds won’t vote. According to the Treasury this is as high as 86% among young black people. In ‘contrast’ 1995’s The Kids Are Alright? survey said most cared about the NHS (66%), rights for the disabled (71%) and housing the homeless (73%). Young people endure rates of unemployment that are double the national average; three-quarters of under-24 year olds in Britain earn less than the European decency threshold. Those rich enough to make it to higher education will shortly be expected to foot the entire bill themselves; Labour pledge to get 250,000 young people off benefits.
This is more threat than promise. You can be sure that it won’t be into £300,000 jobs like Cherie’s. The ‘Environmental Task Force’ will be more of the same: low pay, ‘zero hour’ contracts and lousy conditions, clearing up the mess that business leaves behind. In the context of the deeper cuts in state expenditure, the real thrust of ‘Labour’s intentions for young people will be found at the end of a police baton: ‘fast track pun-ishment for persistent young offenders’ is now their number two policy pledge; lack Straw’s intentions for beggars, ‘squeegee merchants’ and children under ten are well known, as is Tony Blair’s zero tolerance of.
For young people in Britain there “really is no alternative: Don’t Vote, Organise!
FIGHT RACISM! FIGHT IMPERIALISM! 136 ELECTION SPECIAL APRIL/MAY 1997
